Health consciousness, safety, environmental concerns and sanitation represent imperatives of modern society which have had increasing impact on numerous industries. The mortuary industry is no exception, consequently, there has been increased demand for improvements in the safe and sanitary transportation and cremation of dead bodies and of the transportation and/or disposal of heavy fluid-containing articles.
The prior art on caskets and coffins teaches a number of devices for improving the mortuary industry and the related health services industries through disposable caskets, most of which disclose use in association with cremation. In U.S. Pat. No. 3,574,906 issued to Rittenhouse, for example, a casket made of paperboard is disclosed and said to provide an easily burned, economical, easily stored and light weight device to replace the slow-burning wood casket, and the cumbersome and costly metal casket. Rittenhouse differs from the present invention in that Rittenhouse makes no provisions for the assembled casket to be collapsible into a folded position. Further, Rittenhouse utilizes separate handles, base plates, and anchor plates connected by nuts and bolts which greatly increases assembly time, and which elements would not burn during cremation.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,151,630 issued to Havey, a disposable casket is disclosed which teaches an economical device for the display and cremation of the deceased. The device comprises bedding set in a casket bottom, with an outer casket shell placed over the casket bottom having viewing means to allow the deceased to be viewed for funeral services before cremation. The disposable casket can be made of cardboard for minimizing costs. Havey differs from the present invention in that Havey makes no provisions for the assembled casket to be folded completely in half. Further, Havey utilizes straps as handles and also provides for the use of hinges, glass, and shutters which greatly increase assembly time, and which elements, including staples and a zipper, would not burn during cremation.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,399,596 issued to Parlour, et al. also teaches a disposable coffin invention formed from a sheet of cardboard. This invention is compromised of a coffin base, sides and separate lid. Parlour, et al. differs from the present invention in that Parlour, et al. make no provisions for the assembled casket to be collapsible into a folded position. Further, Parlour, et al. does not provide hand grips or a fluid containing and gas impermeable lining.
Additionally, U.S. Pat. No. 4,063,337 issued to Havey, III discloses a casket invention intended to alleviate the high cost associated with funerals through a disposable casket. The invention is comprised of a bottom and sidewalls, and a casket shell which is configured to look like a conventional casket. The shell is removed after funeral services, and the container bottom and sidewalls are left containing the deceased, which body then is covered and sent to be cremated. Havey, III differs from the present invention in that Havey, III makes no provisions for the assembled casket to be folded completely in half. Further, the casket cover is not disposable and must be removed prior to cremation.
The present invention improves upon the prior art of disposable caskets in the configuration of the body container and, in particular, with the inclusion of a fluid-containing lining for maintaining proper sanitation and fumigation controls over a fluid-containing body stored within the container of the invention. The present invention also can be folded for convenience in transportation and storage. Therefore, it is a primary object of the invention to provide a disposable fluid-containing body container which retains fluids, vapors or other gaseous particles through a fluid and gas-impermeable container lining.
Another object of the present invention is to improve health services, sanitation and safety of transporting dead bodies through the use of a disposable-container lined with fluid and gas-impermeable means for preventing the exposure to or spreading of disease.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved disposable container for fluid-containing bodies which is lightweight, easy to manufacture and ship, easy to assemble, and is sturdy and capable of transporting dense, heavy bodies.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide an improved disposable container for fluid-containing bodies which is capable of being gripped and maneuvered easily.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an improved disposable casket capable of being used for dead body transport and cremation containment which is capable of being gripped and maneuvered easily without exposure to fluid or vapor contents of the body contained within, is economical to manufacture and is capable of being disposed of with diminished harmful environmental effects.
Numerous other advantages and features of the invention will become readily apparent from the detailed description of the preferred and alternative embodiments of the invention, from the claims, and from the accompanying drawings, in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same.